St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-07-09
FOREST FIRES.
DOES THE ANNUAL BURNING OF DEAD
LRAvD AID GRASS IN fORISrs
lNPovRnIsH THE sOII.

OOE6 THE ANNUAL BURNING OF OxAu
LxAvD AID GRASS IN FoR1srs
IMPovxxIsH THE sOIL.
iCollax Chronicle.l
Tie f.bove is an important ques-
ton, particularly in the pine lands
If the Southern States. where the
forest 6res consume dead leaves.
grasses, aud all dry combustible
matter, rotten wood. pine knots,
ETC., on many millions OF acres
every fall and winter or spling.
1t is generally believed that these
fires do imroverish the soil. We.
without careful reflection. have f.
vored that opinion. But what do
the facts teach? Let ~ see.
At least IS per cent. Of the sub-
stance Of dry forest leaves, dscayed
wood. etc.. consumed by these an
nual free 60 upward and mingle
with the air whence they originally
came. and s per cent. the ashes.
remain on the ground. and in time
mingle with it and help enrich the
soil. These ashes contain lime,
phosphoric acid. potash. and eev'
ssal other ingredients OF less i'm.
po.tance than these. All OF these
came from the soil, and every grain
OF them. by the action Of FIRE. il
given back to the soil. to be used
again for fertilizing purposes. Fire
cannot consume them or diminish
their weight Portions OF these
ashes are drawn from the sub-eoi
by the roots Of trees and plants. and
By fire or natural decay Of the tree'
and plants they arc deposited OF
the surface, and make the surface
soil more fertile. ct the expense o
the sub-soil. Some Of these min
eral fertilizers come from ten fee
or moro below the surface, and an
taken M wherever the roots o
trees or plants extend outward o.
downward for TODD.
Then il forest fires send oil o
these elements that came from tn
atmosphere back from whence the.
came, and Tue mineral element
back t. the soil from whence the.
came, how does this action impov
erish the soil q
Do forest trees, whose fallel
leaves are annually destroyed b,
IRE, indicate q gradually impover
ished soilf We think not No on
denies that If the leaves and de
cayed wood arc left to ningle wit
the surface soil, the soil will be
come much richer. That 10 nature
mode Of enrichiDg poor sofia Thes
leaves and dscayed vegetation ar
natures fertilizers. Nature thu
mingles the elements Of the atmos
phere with the elements found j
the soil. and these. properly blend
ed and fixed in tho soil. constitut
fertility.
Does not the burning Of I'll
leaves. then. simply prevent natn.
from making the soil richer. will
out making il any poorerP Do nc
the lime. phosphorus. potash, etc
brought from below and left on til
surface, make the lands somewhs
richer than they were before
Does this hold good in regard I
yearly fires on prairies and
marshesf
Burning the leaves and rubbis
in forests annually has its good r.
suits to Offset any disadvantag'
that may result from it. The
irss destroy numerous snakes an
ve.min. aud insects in untold mi
lions. The forest fires sometime
occur when oil Of these are ont
full blast. breeding and depositir
eggs without number. Ticks, bus
worms, moths. Lizards. scorpion
spiders. and = long list Of 9th
troublesome creatures are destro
cd BY these fires. Then they d
stroy rotten and fallen timber. re
ten limbs Of fallen trees and chi
Of the woodman. and give place
the native forest grasses. that gre
J with great vigor in the spring. a
the cattle are very fond Of ths'
Resides. tho ires destroy the you'
scrubby growth Of shrubs u
: vines. and give the cattle . bett
chance to range through the WOO
10 gathering their supply OF food.
; II 1.-THE fires were yearly and 8
tematically sent through our pi
forests, At . season most conver
} ant snr sneh york and when fir